Swing joint



sepf.4,1945. f J.A.J'ENSEN 42,384,308

` SWING JOINT Filed oct. 12,11943 2 sheets-sheet 1A A TTORNE YS.

' Sept 4 1945- J. A. JENSEN 2,384,308

SWING JOINT ATTORNEYS,

Patented Sept. 4, 1945 SWING JoiNT A James A. Jensen, Philadelpha,'1a.,assignor to Philadelphia Valve Company, Pan, a co-partnershipphiladelphia'- Application c'tober 12, 1943, .Serial No. 505,903

2 Claims.

This invention relates to swing joints, that is to say to joints forretativ-ely coupling two liqrguid conducting pipes a1; an angle 'to eachother. vSuch joints are useful for yexample in hose reel structureshaving tubular shafts of piping to which the hoses are connected andwhich oomrnunicate, by way of the joints, with stationary pipes at rightangles to the reel shafts. A joint oi this general character isdisclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,992,758, granted to me on lFebruary'f2-6, i935. l

My pres-'ent invention rn'ay be regarded vas an improvement on the swingjoint of the above patent, yhaving for its chief aims the automaticmaintenance of 'the packing in Huid-tight compression at all times andthereby obviating the necessity for frequent adjustments to compensatefor wear; and the improvement of such joint otherwise with a view towardlowering manufacturing costs and toward facilitating assembling ordisassembling of their component parts.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear .1" rom the followingdetailed description of ot the attached drawings wherein,

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a hose reel structure of the typeordinarily used on oil or gasoline delivery trucks, with an incorporatedswing ,ioint conveniently embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken as indicated by the angled arrows II--IIin Fig. l, with the tubular shaft of the reel illustrated for the mostpart in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a detail view on a larger scale taken as indicated by theangled arrows III--III in Fig. 2 and showing the swing joint in axialsection.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the joint taken as indicated by the angledarrows IV-IV in Fig. 3; and

5 is a perspective view of one of the component parts of the joint.

With reference more particularly irst to Figs. l and 2. the numeral I8comprehensively designates the hose reel which is illustrated as beingenclosed in a compartment Ii afforded by the body Iii of a deliverytruck. As shown the reel I has a `nollow core :3 and circular end flangedisks E fashioned from sheet metal and united by a plurality ol"circumierentially arranged tie rods Iii. The shaft of the reel iscomposed of two pipo sections I? and i8 whereof the first hascircumferential anges i9 and 28 adjacent it ends which are rivetedrespectively to the disk E4 and to a diaphragm 2l within the core I3 atthe reel. The outer or left-hand end of the shaft section Il 'screwedinto the corresponding end of lthe section -Ii as at 128, and has itsouter `end. journaled in a manner presently explained vvithinvtl'ieVhousing 29 or" 'the swing "joint 38 which Vc'onsttutes the subjectmatter oi" my 'present invention, said housing having a pendent Aflangeprojection'SI for attachment by means of bolts 32 to a symmetricallydisposed annularly arranged supporting strut 33 within the reelcompartment I I. The reel I3 is rotatable by means o a sprocket chaindrive means 34 provided with a detachable crank handle 35.

By reference now to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be observed that the housing29 of my improved swing joint 30 is of cup-like configuration having i adiametrically reduced axial neck portion 36 which extends over the endof the pipe I8, and a. pair of aligned lateral bosses 31 and 38 forconnection of flow pipes 39 and 40 extending from different tanksub-divisions (not shown) of the truck. In this connection it is to benoted that the pipe section I8 of the reel shaft has a circumierentialseries of ports 4I for flow communication with' the interior of thehousing 29. Welded or otherwise permanently secured to the shrouded endof the pipe I8 is a closure 42 with a shouldered axial trunnionprojection 43 whereon the inner race 45 of a ball bearing 46 is securedby a clamp nut 41. The outer race 48 of the ball bearing 4B is lodged inthe bore oan axial boss 49 which' extends inwardly from the back wall ofthe housing 29, being clamped against a circumferential stop shoulder 50at the inner end of said boss by a cover cap 5I which screws into theouter end of said bore. Thus the ball bearing 46 may be considered as ameans for preventing relative axial movement between the housing 29 andthe pipe I8. Threadedly engaging the neck 36 of the housing 29 at theentrant end of the latter is a cup nut 52 having an axial apertureslightly larger in diameter than that of the pipe I8, andsurrounding thepipe I8 within said neck is a ring 53 of compressible packing which isbacked by a beveled metallic follower ring 55 which bears against thecup nut 52. The means provided for yieldingly exerting constant pressureon the packing 53 for automatic maintenance of a fluid-tight sealincludes a spider 56 (Fig. 5) which ts over the shrouded end of the pipeI8, and a helical spring 51 (Fig. 3) whereof one end bears directlyagainst the inner end of the spider 56 and whereof the other end bearsagainst the back wall of said housing 29. As shown `in Fig. 5, thespider 56 is integrally formed, having end rings 58 and 59 joined atcircumferential intervals by slender connecting bars 60 with provisionof intervening lateral openings to correspond with the ow ports 4| inthe pipe I8. It is tol be particularly noted that' the end ring 58 ofthe spider 56 is beveled counter to the backing ring 55, sov that underthe influence of the spring 51 the packing 53 is effectively compressedat all times.

While I have herein sh'own and described my improved swing joint inassociation with a hose reel structure of a specific kind, it is to beunderstood thaty its use is not to be considered as thus limited, since,as will be understood by those skilled in the art, by suitablemodiiications within the'scope of the appended claims it is readilyadaptable in ot'h'er conduit or iiow systems Where two pipes must havecapacity for rotary movement in relation to each other.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a swing joint of the character described, a pipe having a closedend with a diametrically reduced axial trunnion and with a series ofcircumferentially arranged ports adjacent said end; a cup like housingextending, with clearance all around, over the pipe end; a bearing forth'e pipe trunnion in the rear end Wall of the housing;

` `a pipe having a closed end with a diametrically reduced axialtrunnion and with a. series of circumferentially arranged ports adjacentsaid end; a cup like housing extending, with clearance all around, overthe pipe end; a ball bearing in which the pipe trunnion is journalledand beyond which it protrudes, located within the shouldered bore of aboss extending inwardly from the rear Wall of the housing; a closurewhereby the ball bearing unit is maintained against the shoulder in thebore of the boss; a collar on the protruding end of the trunnionpreventing, by cooperation with the ball bearing unit, axialdisplacement between the pipe and t'h'e housing; a sleeve tting over thepipe within the housing and having circumferentially arranged openingsin the plane of the ports in said pipe; a helical spring surrounding theboss aforesaid between the rear end wall of the housing and the sleeveto compress the packing for maintenance of a uid tight joint; and asecond pipe communicating laterally into the housing.

JAMES A. JENSEN.

